Ajay Stone strolled around historic Rickwood Field, taking in the tributes displayed in honor of Willie Mays and other Negro League legends. Clutched under his arm was a cherished photograph from 2004 of Mays holding Stone's then-10-month-old daughter Haley, who was decked out in San Francisco Giants gear. In the picture, Mays is handing over a chunk of a chocolate chip cookie for Haley to eat, encapsulating a simple yet treasured memory.
Stone and his wife, Christina, had traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Birmingham, Alabama, for a moment they deemed equally special. Hours before Rickwood Field hosted its first Major League Baseball game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals, MLB dubbed the event "A Tribute to the Negro Leagues." This game aimed to honor the legacies of Mays and other Black baseball greats who have left an enduring mark on the sport.
Tributes and Tears: Honoring Willie Mays
The MLB organized a series of activities around Mays and the Negro Leagues, including the unveiling of a Willie Mays mural in downtown Birmingham on Wednesday. These planned tributes took on a more profound meaning when news broke that Mays had passed away at 93 on Tuesday.
As the news of his passing spread throughout Birmingham, celebrations of his life intensified. The atmosphere at Rickwood Field on Thursday was electrifying even before fans arrived at the ballpark. The rapid thumping of a drum echoed from inside the stadium, and excited murmurs and frequent bursts of laughter from fans foreshadowed the grandeur of the event.
Inside the ballpark, reminders of history were omnipresent. Photos and artifacts of baseball Hall of Famers who played at the 114-year-old ballpark, including Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson, and Satchel Paige, adorned the walls. The original clubhouse of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues, where Mays began his professional career in 1948, was open. A memorial for Mays took center stage, featuring bobbleheads, a signed glove, and his Black Barons and San Francisco Giants jerseys on display.
Fans Relive History
Outside, fans stood in line to hold a baseball bat used by Mays in 1959 and took photos inside an original bus from 1947, typically used during barnstorming tours by Negro Leagues teams. Fans danced to live music and ate from concession stands with menu boards designed to reflect the 1940s aesthetic.
Eddie Torres and his son, Junior, wore matching Giants jerseys as they took pictures inside the ballpark. Lifelong Giants fans, they had traveled from California for the game. Musical artist Jon Batiste strummed a guitar while dancing on a wooden stage near home plate just before the first pitch. Fans stood as former Negro Leaguers were escorted to the field for a pregame ceremony, and shouts of "Willie! Willie!" erupted after a moment of silence.
Echoes of the Past
Michael Jackson, seated in the stands at Rickwood Field, was reminded of his past. Jackson played baseball in the 1970s and 1980s with the East Thomas Eagles of the Birmingham Industrial League. His baseball journey brought him to Rickwood Field many times, and he was excited that the historic ballpark still stood.
“It’s nice seeing them redo all of this instead of tearing it down,” Jackson said. “We played in the same ballpark they named after Willie Mays out in Fairfield, Alabama. I had my times out here playing at this ballpark. It’s all very exciting.”
Memories and Reflections
Ajay Stone reflected on his memories with Mays. "Willie gave her that cookie. She had no teeth, but we took the cookie and kept it in her stroller for a year and a half. The great Willie Mays gave it to her, so it was special to us," he shared.
Another fan noted, "I never even got to see Willie Mays play, but as a Giants fan, I knew what he meant to the game of baseball." Eddie Torres added, "The legacy of Willie Mays transcends generations. My son is only 11, but Willie Mays had such an effect on the game that even he knows who Willie Mays is."
As the game commenced and the crowd cheered, it became clear that Rickwood Field was more than just a ballpark for the evening. It transformed into a living museum, a time capsule capturing the essence of a bygone era while honoring the life and legacy of one of baseball's greatest icons, Willie Mays.